1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information distribution system for distributing information to users over a network, a terminal apparatus, a schedule transmitting apparatus, a display information transmitting apparatus, and an information distribution method, and more particularly, to an information distribution system, a terminal apparatus, a schedule transmitting apparatus, a display information transmitting apparatus and an information distribution method, which are effective in displaying information on a display of the terminal apparatus while a user is suspending an operation to the terminal apparatus for a certain period of time or more.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, continuous connection of the Internet is widespread with technologies such as a Cable Television (CATV) and an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). With the spread of these technologies, a user may normally view information sites on a display connected to a terminal apparatus such as a personal computer (which is hereinafter referred to as a PC). Thus, the user is able to know sequentially updated latest information by viewing the displayed information sites for verification. For instance, it is able to obtain related information that is updated according to the progress of a television program on the air by displaying information sites relating to the television program on the air on the display of the PC, and to obtain information that is updated for each time by displaying a desired information site on the display of the terminal apparatus while the user is going on with one's work other than an operation with the PC.
By the way, the terminal apparatus executes a process of displaying an image such as a specified moving image selected by the user, for instance, on the display when an operation to the terminal apparatus by the user is suspended for a certain period of time or more. A program for carrying out this process is called a screen saver. By staring up the screen saver, it is able to prevent a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display from an image burn-in caused by a fact that continuous display of the same image for a long period of time leads to a change in quality of a fluorescent coating. In addition, the startup of the screen saver also may prevent a liquid crystal display from a disadvantage in that an image on the display falls under third party's eyes when the user is a part from one's own terminal apparatus for a long period of time, for instance.
When the screen saver enters an operating condition, the information sites on the display become to be not displayed. Thus, the screen saver gives rise to a problem in that the user fails to obtain the information by viewing the information sites for verification when the operation to the terminal apparatus is suspended for a certain period of time or more.
One of methods for solving the above problem is to display information on the display while the screen saver is under the operating condition. Specifically, this method is to firstly allow the terminal apparatus to store the display information of the information sites and the like, which is transmitted over a network, in a storage device mounted in the terminal apparatus. Then, when recognizing the operation of the screen saver, the terminal apparatus reads out the information from the storage device and then displays the read out information on the display (See reference literature of Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 9-244981, for instance).
However, in use of the above method, the display information that is displayed on the display while the screen saver is in the operating condition is limited to the display information stored in the storage device. That is, the display information on the display remains unchanged during the operation of the screen saver.
Thus, while the screen saver is in the operating condition, there is no possibility that the user obtains the sequentially updated latest information by viewing the information sites on the display of the terminal apparatus for verification. For instance, although the program-related information that is updated according to the progress of the television program on the air is being obtained by displaying the information site relating to the television program on the air on the display of the PC, the terminal apparatus brings the screen saver to the operating condition when the operation to the terminal apparatus is suspended, resulting in no possibility that the user may obtain the latest program-related information.